


Accidents Happen

by Aulophobia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Divorce, Extramarital Affairs, F/M, HP: Epilogue Compliant, Happy Ending, M/M, POV Multiple, Teen Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-16 21:10:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13644507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aulophobia/pseuds/Aulophobia
Summary: Harry's marriage is a sham.  Ginny is forever making excuses to be out of the house and somehow he's only just noticed.  Not helping Harry deal with his crumbling relationship is Albus's meddling, leading to Harry having to face Draco Malfoy for the first time in years.  Harry's past comes back to haunt him whilst a new relationship blossoms between Lily and Scorpius.  Will Harry be able to take the path he chooses this time round, rather than the expected one, and how much trouble can a teen romance really cause?





	1. Breakfast at the Potters

**Author's Note:**

> This is a POV switching story with a few subplots. The main parts revolve around Draco and Harry's relationship (past and present); Scorpious and Lily's teen romance; and the break down of Harry's marriage. It is not yet complete but has been storyboarded. There is also an incomplete prequel to this set in eighth year exploring Harry and Draco's past relationship that I may or may not finish and post.

Harry woke up with a start.  The bed was soaked with sweat.  In his head were the vague recollections of the nightmare that had woken him up.  Memories of the accident swirled in his head, combined with the old nightmare.  The flash of green light and the scream.  His leg ached, another reminder of the injury nearly 9 months previously that had ended his career. Getting up he noticed that the bed was empty, Ginny’s side unslept in.  With a wave of his wand he cleaned the sheets leaving the bed pristine and limped towards the shower.  Hopefully the lingering memories and the nightmare would be washed away in the hot water. 

The first one up as usual, Harry set himself to making breakfast. Looking at his watch he saw it was approaching 7am.  The boys would be in bed for hours but Lily, like himself, was an early riser.  He started making a batch of scrambled eggs, whisking them the muggle way.  He’d never bothered to learn all of Molly’s tricks in the kitchen, instead using the skills he had learned from what felt another life time ago; making breakfast for the Dursleys.  It was rarely with fondness he looked back at his past life; the one before the day Hagrid came and changed everything.  He still enjoyed cooking however, and scrambled eggs and bacon on toast felt like the perfect cure for the remaining unease left from his dream, that the shower hadn’t quite managed to dispel.

Lily, as Harry had predicted, stumbled down in her PJs before Harry had even started putting the toast on.

“Sweetheart, can you start the toast whilst I finish the bacon” he called without turning around.  “Sure Dad, brown or white”

“You know I don’t mind which, but given your mother seems to be out still and Al and James prefer white, we can go with that.”  Ginny always disapproved of white bread, but then she would probably also disapprove of the large amount of butter, salt and cream he had mixed into the eggs, as well as his failure to trim the fat off the bacon.

“Can we have black pudding too?” Lily asked. 

“Sorry honey, we seem to be all out”.  There was a slight disappointment on Lily’s face, but she carried on making the toast.  She had cut the loaf of fresh white bread into thick slices.  Al and James could devour a loaf by themselves.  When the first four slices came out of the toaster Harry put a warming charm over them. 

“Once you’ve put the next four in try and wake your brothers up for breakfast, I want to get to Diagon Alley before it gets too crowded.  Your mother said she was going to come with us but as she’s not here we’ll have to manage without her.”

Harry finished the bacon and toast, and placed them, along with the eggs in the middle of the table under warming charms.  He got the brown sauce and the ketchup out of the fridge as the noise of a herd of baby elephants came down the stairs.  Lily had obviously managed to get the boys up. 

“This looks great Dad” exclaimed James as he started piling his plate with breakfast.

“Yeah, love it when mum’s not here for breakfast and we can eat like this” Al said, mouth half full of food.

Harry didn’t feel quite so happy about Ginny’s absence.  Since his accident it was becoming a more and more frequent occurrence.  He knew he probably hadn’t been the best husband since it happened, sitting at home and feeling sorry for himself in between throwing all his effort into physio didn’t make for the best relationship, but she hadn’t even bothered to tell him she wasn’t coming home yesterday.  She was also breaking her promise to the kids that she would be joining them for back to school shopping.  Instead he would have to manage the three of them plus the shopping by himself.  It wasn’t that this was a chore in particular, Diagon Alley still seemed a place of wonder, even after all these years, it was just that with his leg, moving around the crowds wasn’t so easy anymore.

“Are you all done?” Harry asked his three children.

“Yes Dad” came back the chorus of voices.

“Ok, I want to leave for the shops in 45 minutes.  Be clean and dressed and ready by the fire place in in that time.” Harry said, and as an afterthought “and please remember your booklists, I do not want to have to go back later and get anything you’ve forgotten”.

“Thought mum was coming” Al exclaimed.

“Something came up, and she can’t.” The excuse was feeble.  Harry didn’t even know where Ginny was at that moment. 

The kids ran upstairs to begin the fight over who got to use the bathroom first and Harry cleaned up the remains of breakfast.  Although he always cooked the muggle way, there was no denying of being able to clean the mess left afterwards with a quick wave of his wand was easier.  Going into the living room, he thought about the prospect of shopping and started dreading it.  His leg seemed to be feeling particularly spiteful today, aching and tingling at the same time.  If only Ginny were here, maybe she could take them and he could join them in an hour or two for lunch.  At that moment, the front door opened and she waltzed in.

“Thank God you’re here, I thought you had forgotten about the school shopping” Harry sighed in relief.

“Oh… yeah, school shopping, about that Harry…umm, I have to go straight back out, I just popped in to pick up…uh, yeah…anyway, I have to head straight back to work.”

“Oh, okay” Harry said feeling irritated “where were you last night anyway?”

“I was covering the British Magical Sporting Awards.  Lee and I were invited out to the party afterwards. I couldn’t exactly say no could I, it’s part of my job.  Anyway, it didn’t finish until 2am so we crashed at a nearby hotel because I didn’t want to wake you.  I know how badly you sleep these days.”

Harry listened to her rambling explanation passively.   It seemed there was always some event that Ginny just had to go to.  She was a sports reporter and commentator.  Lee Jordan who used to commentate the Hogwarts quidditch games was her co-host, and had introduced her to it after she becoming pregnant with James, closely followed by Al and Lily, had prematurely ended her quidditch career. 

“Hey mum” Al said bounding down the stairs, “you coming to Diagon Alley with us then?”

“Sorry, I’ve got to go back to work.  I met Marvin Kingston, the captain of the England quidditch team last night.  He promised me an interview and a chance to watch the team training today.  I should be back for dinner though.  I thought we could have poached salmon and new potatoes with fresh greens.”  ‘Nice of her to have decided what I’m cooking for dinner tonight’ Harry thought to himself, still feeling resentful.

Al seemed to accept the rather long explanation and ran back upstairs to finish getting ready.  Ginny followed him up the stairs and went up to their bedroom.  She was showered, dressed and back out of the house before James and Lily had finished getting ready.  She pecked Harry on the cheek on the way out but didn’t say anything.  Harry was left pondering the behaviour of his wife.  Maybe he should talk to Hermione about it, but he didn’t really want to involve Ron in his marital difficulties.  That fact that he was married to Ron’s sister made it decidedly awkward, whenever Harry tried to talk about his relationship problems with either of his best friends.

It was more like an hour before all three of his children were ready to head out.  Harry looked over at his stick next to the fireplace.  He didn’t need it round the house anymore, and the thought of going out in public with it wasn’t appealing.  Given the way his leg was feeling this morning he also didn’t think he’d manage traipsing round the shops without the support, even if he hated people staring at the thing.  He grabbed it and shrunk it into his pocket.  He would resort to it if he had to and not before.  He threw a handful of Floo powder into the fire place and the flames changed from red to green. 

“In you go, James you first”.  He watched his three children whirl away through the flames, then followed.  He stumbled slightly as he got to the other end.  He was glad the Leaky Cauldron was pretty much empty.  He could only see Hannah Abbott reading behind the bar.  She had bought the place with Neville several years earlier after Tom, the old barkeep, had retired.  After the breakup of her marriage 7 years ago, someone else had taken over briefly as manager, but 6 months later Daphne Greengrass moved in and the two of them had been living here and running it ever since.  Hannah looked up and nodded at him and the kids, and then went back to her book.  He hadn’t spoken to Hannah since she and Neville had split.  Neville had never shared the full story about the breakdown of his and Hannah’s relationship.  All Harry knew was that Neville hadn’t been too surprised when Hannah had told him she was leaving him for Daphne.  Maybe Neville would be better to talk to than Hermione about Ginny, he hadn’t spoken to him in a while, but he still considered him a good friend.  Maybe Neville’s experience with Hannah would give him insight into what was going on with his and Ginny’s relationship.

“Okay you three, can we please get this done as efficiently as possible. I don’t really want to be here all day if we can help it”.  Al and Lily nodded.  James, Harry noticed, looked like he wanted to say something. He was shifting slightly nervously on his feet and kept looking round as if he was waiting for someone.

“James did you hear me? “

“Yes, you want to be done quickly.  It’s just I wanted to meet up with a friend and maybe do my shopping with them, rather than going round with you?  And then we were thinking about going for lunch”

“You’re 17 James, of course it’s fine.  But I will be very annoyed if you don’t manage to do your school shopping or are late for dinner. You’re old enough to manage by yourself, even if your mother seems to forget it sometimes.”

Ginny still babied James slightly, despite the fact that he was now an adult.  She rarely let him go off by himself during the holidays.  It seemed slightly ridiculous to Harry, given he had wondered freely in Diagon Alley without supervision from the age of thirteen, but Ginny seemed to channel Molly in the slightly overprotective attitude towards her children. 

Harry gave James enough money for lunch and his school things then left with his younger two through the back of the pub, into the busy shopping centre of Wizarding London.


	2. Old Rivals meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus and Scorpious's plotting mean that Malfoy and Harry have to face each other for the first time in years.

Scorpius stepped out of the grate into the Leaky Cauldron.  A call came from behind the bar and he looked up to see Hannah standing there. 

“Is Aunty Daphne here?” Scorpius asked.

“She’s not long popped out, she’ll be sad to have missed her favourite nephew”

“I’m her _only_ nephew”. 

At that point fireplace flared brightly and his Father appeared out of it directly behind Scorpius. His Father nodded to Hannah politely, with what Scorpius thought was a slightly unfriendly expression on his face.  Scorpius liked Hannah, although his Dad had always expressed the view that his Aunt Daphne moving in with the Hufflepuff was scandalous.  Particularly as Hannah had been married to Professor Longbottom until 4 years previously, when she suddenly decided that she wasn’t in love with him anymore and ran off with Aunt Daphne.  Scorpius wasn’t sure whether his Father disapproved more of the fact that Hannah was a half-blood, a Hufflepuff, or another woman.  Whatever the case was, Scorpius hardly got to see his Aunt Daphne these days, despite the fact she was the only living relative of his mother’s.  He used to occasionally come here with his mother before she had died, to see her sister.  He didn’t think he’d seen his Aunt or her wife since the funeral, and that was two years ago now.  The pang of loss and sadness that was always there in the back of his mind hit him as he remembered the funeral.

“Come on Scorpius, let’s not stay around here chatting.  Need I remind you that you were the one desperate to come to Diagon Alley today”.

Scorpius hadn’t told his father that the reason that he wanted to come here today, was because he had plotted with Al.  Normally his Father insisted on going school shopping as soon as the Hogwarts letter with the booklist came, however this year Scorpius had managed to procrastinate and delay the trip in order to go the same day Al had said he was going.  He knew Father, or Al’s Dad would never agree to go on the same day.  During the brief encounters he had himself observed between the two of them, Scorpius could see the animosity on their faces.  

They walked out into the sunshine and bustle that was Diagon Alley. 

“You need new robes. We can go to Madame Malkin’s first and then I can pick up your potion ingredients whilst you’re being fitted”

“Okay Father” Scorpius replied, smiling to himself.  His and Al’s plot was working perfectly.  His Father always insisted on new robes first and so had suggested to Al that he try and get to Madame Malkin’s for 9.30am. If all went to plan they would have at least half an hour in the shop to talk.  It would be the first time he had seen Al in four weeks and he missed the company of his friend.  They owled at least twice a week, but with their fathers’ being reluctant to interact with each other, he hadn’t been able to see his best friend since school broke up.  Both he and Al hoped that if they managed to “accidentally” bump into each other he might be able to get Father to agree to Al coming to the Manor, or for him to go to the Potters’ at some point over the rest of the summer.  They had tried a variation of the same plan last summer too, but it had failed. This year they had put more thought into it and were sure they could pull it off.  Scorpius had spent most of last summer bored out of his mind.  In his first few years at Hogwarts summers had meant holidays abroad to France or Switzerland, but after his mother had died, Father had stopped that.  Now summers meant days sat in the mostly empty Manor with the house elves for company. Father sitting in his office working.

They walked through the door of Madame Malkin’s and Scorpius’s eyes were immediately drawn to the very pretty red headed girl stood being fitted for robes.  He had to look twice before he realised it was Al’s sister.  Their eyes met briefly before she looked away, blushing slightly.  He had never really noticed her at school.  She was in the year below him and a Gryffindor, like the rest of Al’s family.  Al was the odd one out in Slytherin.  What he noticed now, was a slight tightening in the bottom of his stomach as he watched her look away and blush. 

“Hey Scorp, what are you doing here?” Al said, sounding decidedly suspicious to Scorpius’s ears and grinning widely as he came out of the back of the shop.

“Just come in for new school robes of course, you here with the rest of your family?”

At that moment Al’s Dad walked through the door and nearly bumped straight into his Father who was stood impatiently, looking reproachfully at the two boys.

Scorpius saw his father jump back in surprise and heard the mumbled sorry from Al’s dad, they both turned to look at him and Al.

“So, this is why you delayed our trip till today is it Scorpius?” Father said slightly coldly.

“Ummmm, yes Father”

His father sighed but looked resigned to the fact that he had been forced into the company of Al’s Dad, at least temporarily.

“Dad, we, well me and Scorp, we were wondering whether he could come over to ours this afternoon after we’ve finished shopping?” Al stuttered over the question slightly.

“If it’s okay with Malfoy, it’s fine with me” Mr Potter replied.

“I have no objections, other than that my son appears to have plotted this encounter to achieve this.”

Scorpius noticed his father had a slightly odd expression on his face as he turned to Al’s dad when he replied, but quickly forgot about it in the excitement of having the boredom of his summer broken with an excursion to Al’s. 

“I’m going to go get your potions ingredients and I expect you to be in Flourish and Blott’s in 30 minutes to buy your school books.  Once we’ve gotten all of your school stuff we can meet back up with the Potters’ so you can go back to theirs and I can take the shopping back to the Manor.  Does this work for you, Potter?”

“Sure Malfoy, do you want to bring your son to Fortescue’s once you’re done?  We should be there in an hour.  I promised Al and Lily ice-cream before we headed home.  Scorpius is welcome to join us there”

“That sounds acceptable” his father replied, tight lipped and clenching his hands slightly beside his side before walking out of the store without making eye contact with Mr Potter at all.

Al, Lily and their Dad left the robe shop shortly after to finish their shopping, whilst Scorpius was being fitted for new school and dress robes.  As soon as he was done he rushed to the bookstore to meet his father.  There weren’t too many new books on the 5th year set list and they left shortly after to meet Al and the rest of his family.  They were all stood at the counter choosing flavours as the two of them approached. 

Scorpius snuck up behind his friend and poked his back making Al jump.

“Must you act so juvenile, Scorpius?” Father chastised him.

“They are kids Malfoy” Al’s dad replied.   Scorpius noticed again that his father seemed to be avoiding looking into Al’s dad’s eyes and had said nothing in reply.

“So, what time do you want him back, and what’s the easiest way for me to get him home?” Al’s dad asked.

“If he can be home by 8.30pm at the latest that would be acceptable.  The Floo will let him through.  I’ll also adjust the wards to allow your son to be able to come through. That way we can avoid all this unnecessary subterfuge in the future” his father said looking sternly at both him and Al, “although I expect to be informed ahead of any visits. I suppose I should also adjust them so you can come too.  In case there is an emergency or something.  Scorpius, give me your school things and I’ll take them home now”

 “You can stay and join us if you want Malfoy” Mr Potter said rather unexpectedly.  Father seemed rather surprised at this invitation too.  It took him a couple of seconds to compose himself and reply.

“I’ve got rather a lot of work to be getting on with this afternoon”

“Okay, no problem”

With that his father turned and left.  Scorpius noticed the same strange expression Father had had earlier, but then his attention turned to Al and the ice-cream and with a grin on his face promptly forgot all about it again.

They sat eating their ice-cream outside, round a table.  Scorpius was really enjoying himself for the first time since school broke up.  He chatted happily to Al about all they had both had gotten up to during the summer so far, and their plans now they could visit each other.  The only thing that soured his chat was Al’s exciting news that he had been made a Prefect.  His Father had not been best pleased when he hadn’t received a Prefect badge with his Hogwarts letter this year.  Not that he really wanted to be a Prefect, but Father would hate it that Al had been made one instead of him.  He couldn’t stay annoyed with his friend long however, and they both soon agreed that the only good thing about being a Prefect was being able to use the Prefects bathroom, which he had heard from Father was amazing.  Alongside the light and fun conversations with his best friend, Scorpius’s mind was also having havoc played with it, hyperaware of Al’s sister sitting on his other side talking to her Dad.  Every now and then their legs would touch sending slight tingles up his body and making him very glad of the loose robes Father insisted he wore whenever he went out.  He couldn’t imagine how embarrassed he would be wearing muggle jeans in this situation.  When they had all finished, and Al’s sister put down her spoon, though not before licking it, in a way that made his stomach tie itself in knots again, and not helping the slight problem his robes were conveniently covering, they left for the Leaky Cauldron and Al’s house.

It took them a little while to get back to the Leaky Cauldron.  Al’s Dad was walking decidedly slowly and with a slight limp, a look of pain occasionally crossing his expression.  When they finally entered the Leaky Cauldron he saw his Aunt Daphne talking to Hannah. 

“Scorpius, you’ve grown so much.  I wondered where you were, your father came through earlier and Hannah told me you were out shopping with him, but he rushed through before I could ask after you”

“Father left me with the Potter’s.  This is my best friend Al, his sister, Lily, and his father, Mr Potter”

“Nice to meet you Al and Lily, good to see you again Potter”

“I forgot you knew Al’s Dad” Scorpius, felt embarrassed at his slight social faux pas.

“Hello Daphne, Hannah.  I hope you’re both well.  Sorry we can’t hang around and catch up properly, but I need to get these three back” Al’s Dad said to the two women behind the bar.

Before they could all leave Aunt Daphne stepped out from behind the bar, and to his embarrassment hugged him.  Then the four of them approached the fire place and, with Al going first, they all headed back to the Potters’ house.


	3. Summer diary entries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily's teenage girlish ramblings about her summer.

_11.50pm, Friday 6 th of August 2021._

_I can’t believe I never noticed how cute Scorpius was.  He came into Madame Malkin’s with his Dad whilst me and Al were being fitted for robes.  Our eyes met for just a second, but it made me feel… well let’s just say I think he’s definitely the most attractive boy I’ve ever seen.  I know I used to say that about Hugo but that’s just because I’ve known him forever, and anyway he’s more like a brother now.  It was a little embarrassing when I told Hugo I liked him back at the end of first year and he told me that he thought I was very pretty, but he just didn’t like me that way.  I was mad at him for weeks and mum and dad couldn’t work out why.  Well, we all know what happened in the end.  Hugo told me the reason he wasn’t into me was that he was attracted to boys and I forgave him and now I couldn’t imagine thinking of him the way I’m currently thinking about Scorpius.  Enough digression, I was talking about today in Diagon Alley and Scorpius.  Scorpius and his Dad met us for ice-cream once we’d all finished our shopping, although he calls his Dad ‘Father’.  Well Scorpius stayed for ice-cream.  Mr Malfoy just spoke to Dad briefly and then refused to stay.  Dad watched, him go until he was out of sight down the street.  It seemed a little odd to me.  They don’t seem to get on from the way they speak to each other. God, I keep going off on tangents, back to the point.  Scorpius and I were sat next to each other whilst we ate, and our legs kept on touching making me feel all tingly.  We met his Aunt in the Leaky Cauldron on the way back.  He looked so embarrassed when she hugged him, it was adorable.  He then spent the whole afternoon at ours playing Chess and Gobstones with Al.  I sat and read mostly, but every now and then I would catch him looking at me.  He even stayed and had dinner with us before he had to go home.  James was nearly in trouble.  He apparated in with seconds to spare before dinner, it was very funny seeing him rushing across the lawn to Dad’s reproachful look before he laughed.  It’s a good job mum wasn’t here, she probably would have gotten mad.  Mum sent a message saying she wouldn’t be home again for dinner, so we got to all make pizza’s rather than eating poached salmon.  Much nicer in my opinion, especially with Dad’s homemade pizza dough and sauce.  Hopefully Scorpius comes over again over the summer. Al said he will when I asked.  Dad seems to like him too.  Mum didn’t meet him though, she only got in about 10 minutes ago.  I know Mum and Dad are arguing about that now.  They only ever put up silencing charms when they’re really mad at each other, and I can tell Dad was furious about her missing dinner, especially after her not coming out today. I should probably go to sleep now. xx_

_4.30pm, Saturday 14 th of August 2021_

_Scorpius is round again.  Al has been over there a few times in the last week, but this is the first time he’s been back here. Dad took us all to the zoo today and let Al bring Scorpius along too.  It was a little weird seeing him in muggle clothes.  He had to borrow some of James’ old clothes, Al’s are a little short for him.  He said his dad doesn’t let him have muggle clothing.  Dad told us a very funny story over lunch about when he was 10, before he found out he was a wizard.  He accidently set a Boa Constrictor on his cousin Dudley when they went to zoo for Dudley’s Birthday.  Scorpius said that he couldn’t imagine not knowing he was a wizard until he was 11.  I agreed with him.  Dad doesn’t tell stories about his childhood before Hogwarts very often, but it must have been completely bizarre not knowing that magic was real and that you were a wizard.  I suppose it must be the same for muggleborns.  I’ll have to ask Aunty Hermione next time I’m there.  She always has lots of interesting things to say.  I hope next time I see Scorpius I will be able to get up the nerve to actually talk to him.  He still looks at me whilst he’s sitting talking to Al, and he sat next to me during lunch again.  He had to go back to his house for dinner not long ago, but he told Al that he can come back sometime next week.  I hope he does, there are only two weeks left of the summer holidays.  Once we’re back at school he probably won’t even notice me, there will be girls in his year that are much more interesting than me.  Mum and Dad still seem to be fighting. Mum’s barely here, she spends all her time at work, hence Dad coming up with fun outings, like the zoo.  Dad’s calling me for dinner, so I’ll have to leave it here. xx_

_11.10pm, Wednesday 18 th of August 2021_

_Uncle Ron and Aunty Hermione came round today with Hugo and Rose.  Al is obsessed with Rose, it’s quite funny to watch.  Me and Hugo laugh about it all the time.  Scorp was over too.  He even joined in on mine and Hugo’s teasing of Al over Rose.  We all played quidditch this afternoon.  Al sucks, but Scorp isn’t bad.  Al refereed most of the time as there were uneven teams.  Mum was actually home for dinner, we had a BBQ in the garden.  Scorp and I sat and talked for a while with Hugo whilst Al monopolised Rose.  His hand brushed mine at one point, and he looked right at me when it happened.  Then I ruined it by blushing, and had to quickly turn to talk to Hugo, to hide how embarrassed I was.  Even though mum was there, I don’t think her and Dad said more than two words to each other.  Hopefully they’ll stop fighting soon. xx_

_12.30pm, Friday 27 th of August 2021_

_I haven’t seen Scorpius in over a week now.  Al keeps on going over to the Manor.  I spent yesterday at Hugo’s.  Mum was working and Dad said he had physio, I thought he’d finished all that but whatever.  James said he was going out, so Dad asked Aunty Hermione and Uncle Ron to look after me.  I told him I could look after myself, but he said mum thought I was still too young unless James was there.  Despite the injustice of having to be babysat when I’m 14 I did, enjoy spending time with Hugo.  We spent most of the day talking about Scorpius.  He agrees with me that he’s very attractive, and says he thought he saw Scorp trying to flirt with me the other week.  He also told me he’s been writing to Lysander all summer. I can’t believe he fancies Aunty Luna’s son, although saying that, him and his twin are quite attractive, and Lysander is very clever.  I’ve not really talked to him or Lorcan much, Lorcan always seemed a bit friendlier than Lysander though, but then he is a Hufflepuff and Lysander is Ravenclaw through and through.  Hugo thinks that I should come up with some kind of plan if I want something to happen between me and Scorp, but the holidays are quickly disappearing. I don’t know if Scorp is going to come round again before its time to go back to school.  It’s lunch time so I’d better go down and eat. Xx_

_6.45pm, Monday the 30 th of August._

_We went muggle sightseeing in London today.  James didn’t come, he always seems to be busy out somewhere this summer, but Al, Scorp, Hugo, Rose, Lysander, Lorcan, Aunty Hermione, Uncle Ron, and Aunty Luna all came.  Hugo was really excited at spending the day with Lysander, although not nearly as excited as I was to be seeing Scorp.  He had to borrow muggle clothes again, he does look rather nice in jeans and a t-shirt.  We went to Madame Tussauds.  It was very funny listening to the difference between Aunty Hermione’s and Luna’s explanations of the historical figures in wax.  Then we walked round the corner down Baker street and saw where Sherlock Holmes lived.  That was super exciting as they’re my favourite muggle stories.  Scorp said he was excited to see 221b Baker street too, as he was a fan.  He said his dad introduced him to the stories, and that they were just about the only muggle thing he had as a child.  The copy he had had been his Father’s when he was young.  His Father had had to hide it from his Grandfather as he didn’t approve of anything muggle.  After that we went round Regents park and watched the muggle children kicking a ball around, trying to get it into a large net.  It seemed a very peculiar game.  Lorcan decided he wanted to join in and actually asked the muggles if he could play.  Lorcan, Hugo, Lysander and Al all ended up joining in and the grown-ups and Rose went to get coffee and cakes from the café.  Me and Scorp sat on the ground off to the side of the game and watched.  We didn’t talk much, just about what an odd game the kicking around the ball one seemed to be, but our hands were touching the entire time.  I nearly jumped out of my skin when Dad came back and handed me and Scorp the hot chocolates and blueberry muffins we had requested.  Uncle Ron said he wanted to go to the London Eye next as he thought it sounded fun.  He and Aunty Hermione got into a little fight then about how to get there, he wanted to apparate us all, but Aunty Hermione said that if we were being muggle tourists for the day we should do it properly and get the tube.  Surprise, surprise we ended up getting the tube.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Uncle Ron win an argument with Aunty Hermione.  The tube was an experience. We walked back to the one at Baker Street.  Dad and Hermione sorted out tickets for all of us and we went through the barriers and down a muggle escalator. Aunty Luna kept on commenting about the Rackspurts infesting the crowds of people.  Then we all got on to a very crowded train, there weren’t any seats and barely enough room for us all to get on.  Scorp was squashed next to me and…. stroked my little finger with his thumb throughout the journey.  My finger is still tingling now at the thought of it.  It was probably less than 10 minutes till we got off at Westminster, but it was amazing.  We could see the London eye on the other side of the river.  I walked with Hugo whispering to him about what had just happened with Scorp, whilst he told me all about his and Lysander’s conversations.  There was a huge queue when we got to the London Eye but somehow we were allowed to skip to the front. Uncle Ron said he had booked tickets in advance but I’m sure I saw him sneak his wand back into his pocket after we had finished at the desk.  I think Dad saw too as he started coughing rather loudly when Aunty Hermione said how pleased she was with Uncle Ron’s good planning.  Me and Scorp caught each other’s eyes at this point and couldn’t stop grinning.  The view of London from the Eye was amazing.  Our group had a pod to ourselves and spent the 30 minute revolution watching the city go past.  After that we all walked down the South Bank.  Aunty Hermione wanted to go to the Tate Modern, but everyone else was tired and hungry so we went and found food instead. We got back to ours about 7.30pm and Scorp had to go home, as did the Scamander’s.  Hugo is pestering me to play chess right now so I’m going to stop here, but needless to say, an amazing day. Xx_

_21.20pm, Tuesday the 31 st of August.  _

_Since spending the day in London I haven’t seen Scorp but have thought about him constantly.  I think Hugo is starting to get slightly tired of me going on about him, but who else can I talk to about this.  I know I’ll see him tomorrow but how will it be the same when we’re at Hogwarts.  This has to be a super short entry though as I haven’t packed and mum and dad will go mad if I’m not ready to go on time tomorrow. Xx_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not 100% about this way of writing from Lily's POV but its all I could think of to make the teenage ramblings work.


	4. Back to School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being a teenage boy can be very awkward.

“Are you ready Scorpius?”

“Yes Father. Beeches packed everything last night.”

“And you’ve eaten breakfast?”

“Yes, stop fussing, you’re always like this when I go back to school.  I’ll be back at Christmas, it’s not that long!”

“It’s not that long for _you_ ” his father said, “lets head to the station.  Grab your bag and we’ll apparate to Kings Cross.”  leant in and hugged him quickly before shooing him upstairs to grab his trunk. His Father was much warmer when it was just the two of them, than anyone who saw him out of the house would realise. 

They apparated onto the platform, which wasn’t yet too crowded. It was only 10.30am and they still had another half an hour before the train went. From past experience, he knew Al and the rest of the Potter’s wouldn’t be here for at least another 20 minutes; they always managed to cut it a little fine.  “I’m going to go and find a carriage Father, are you going to wait for the train to leave, or head back to work now?”

“I should probably head straight to the Ministry, there are a few things I have to clear up today.”

“Okay, I’ll write and let you know how everything at school is going.”

He waved as his father turned on the spot and with a loud crack disappeared.  He hurried onto the train, easily finding an empty compartment.  Sitting alone, he thought about the fun he’d had over the last few weeks of the summer.  Walking round the Manor grounds with Al, playing quidditch with Lily and the Weasley-Grangers, going to the zoo and the amazing trip around muggle London.  Even his father was impressed when he said he’d visited 221b Baker Street.  He neglected to tell Father everything about the trip. He wasn’t sure how impressed he’d be with watching the muggle ball game, or the tube journey.  _Particularly_ not the tube journey.  It left him smiling now thinking about it.  He hadn’t told Al yet about the crush he had on his sister and was dreading it.  Maybe nothing would come of it and he would never have to tell him, but honestly, he didn’t want _nothing_ to happen.  He also remembered being right about the muggle jeans and their impracticality for some things.  Robes definitely had their advantages.  He was lost in his own day dream when Lily walked in, as if straight out of his fantasy.  To his embarrassment he immediately flushed red on seeing her.  Al and Hugo followed closely behind.

“What are you thinking about Scorp?” Al asked, grinning.  Clearly the expression on his face was giving away something his friend found amusing. 

“Nothing.” He could feel his face flushing further and had to try very hard not to look up at Lily.  To his immense relief at that point the train pulled off and Rosie walked in.  He hadn’t been so glad to see the Weasley-Granger since she had rejected him a year ago. 

“Al, come on, we have to go to the front of the train now.  Prefect duty.” and she practically dragged him out the door.

Scorpius just heard Al’s shout that he would find him later as the door closed.  There was an awkward silence with just the three of them in the carriage now.  Lily seated herself across from him.  She was leant against the window with her feet up on the bench, having kicked her shoes off.  Hugo sat next to Lily, and she put her feet up on him.  Scorpius felt a small surge of jealousy about the casual touching between the two, and was staring at them when Lily interrupted his thoughts. 

“What are you looking so intense about?”

“Nothing…um nice socks your wearing”.  They were bright yellow with a blue toe and eyes on them.  Scorpius had never seen socks like them.  His were all varying shades of black, grey and green. 

“These” and she lifted her right leg and pointed her toe.  Scorpius felt his trousers start to become more uncomfortable as she did this, but the robes covered him this time.  Lily continued with a story he only half listened to, about the origins of her very luminous socks, something about a muggle cartoon.  His mind kept drifting back to his day out with the Potters and their friends in London, particularly sitting next to Lily in Regents park, he’d had to pull his legs right up to him to cover that problem, stupid muggle clothing.  When Mr Potter had walked over with the hot chocolate and it was all he could do to not turn scarlet with embarrassment.  Then there was the cramped position they had ended up in on the tube…  These thoughts were not helping with the uncomfortable feeling; in fact it was growing.  He tried to gauge back into the conversation.

“So Hugo, apart from the couple of times I saw you with the Potters did you get up to anything interesting over the Summer”.  _That_ was good, draw the conversation away from Lily and the distracting thoughts.

“Not much, I went to the Scamander’s a few times.  I’m good friends with Lysander and Lorcan.  Their parents are slightly peculiar, particularly his mum.  She wore a dress the colour of Lily’s socks one of the days I was over, with dirigible plums for earrings.  The twins say that’s just what she’s like, slightly embarrassing but great fun.  The whole family go on amazing holidays in the hunt of creatures that I’ve never heard of.  I did get to meet their grandfather though which was super exciting.”

“Who’s their grandfather?”

“Newt Scamander! The author of Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them” Hugo exclaimed.  “Care of Magical Creatures is my favourite subject, and he had loads of amazing stories about Thunderbirds, Erumpents, and some really amusing ones about his old Niffler and Bowtruckles.” 

Scorpius could see the excitement in Hugo’s face and he went off into more stories about the twins, their peculiar mother, and their famous grandfather.  Lily had obviously heard these stories already as she got out a book and put some strange white things in her ears before starting to read, once again relaxing back, in what Scorpius felt was a far too seductive pose.

The door opened then, thankfully distracting him, and the twins themselves walked in. 

“Hey Hugo.” one of them said, Scorp wasn’t sure who.  Although it was easy enough to tell the twins apart in their uniforms, it was next to impossible without, or at least so he thought.

“Hey Lysander.” Hugo replied to the one who spoke.

“How can you tell them apart?” Scorpius spluttered.

“Oh, Hugo knows Lysander _very_ well indeed.” Lily said in what Scorpius thought was a slightly teasing manner.  He wasn’t sure whether she was teasing him or Hugo however.  When Hugo and Lysander blushed he guessed the comment was aimed at them.

“So, Hugo...” Lysander said, being the first to regain his composure “a bunch of us are setting up a game of exploding snap in one of the carriages at the other end of the train, are you coming to join us? I’m sure they won’t mind if Lily and Scorpius come along too.” 

“Sure!” and Hugo stood up “Lily, you coming?”. 

She looked over towards him before replying “Nah, I’d rather sit here in the quiet and read my book.”

“My brother’s the one in Ravenclaw not you. Scorp you coming?” joked the twin who hadn’t spoken yet, who must be Lorcan. 

“I’ll sit here and keep Lily company.  I have some reading to catch up on too, and Al will be back at some point.”

The three of them left and Lily put the strange things back in her ears.  With the lack of any other company it suddenly felt awkward again.  Looking over at her, he noticed the white things she had stuck in her ears had a piece of what looked like string attached to them.  Once again lost in his own thoughts, he forgot he was staring.

“What’s got you so fascinated?” Lily startled him.

“I was just looking at the things in your ear with the string attached.  I can’t work out what they’re for.”  
“Oh they attach to this”, pulling out a small square thing which the string was attached too. “It’s my iPod, a music player, it’s quite an old one but Dad got Aunty Hermione to make it work despite magical interference.  It only plays muggle music, and Dad has filled it with stuff from when he was a kid, but it’s still pretty good.  Do you want to listen?  You can share the headphones with me.”

“Sure” Scorpius replied, and seeing her shift over took a deep breath and moved to sit next to her, whilst she put her feet down and shuffled over.  She took one of the white things and put it one of his ears, brushing his face slightly as she did.  He quietly prayed to himself that Al’s prefect duties kept him really busy.  From the thing in his ear he could hear music playing.  It wasn’t something he recognised but he quite liked it.  The music distracted him for less than a minute before he felt her warm thigh press against his. Automatically he readjusted, not to remove the gentle pressure, but to make sure that he wouldn’t give away his thoughts in a humiliating way. 

The wire connected them, and Scorpius felt the urge to move his hand to hers.  Before he got up the nerve, he felt her fingers gently trailing up his thigh, almost as if it was unintentional. He turned to look at her, and her green eyes met his grey.  He moved his hand then and trailed a pattern on the back of her hand, not looking away from her face.  She moistened her lips and _Christ_ did he want to kiss her.

“Hey you guys, the food trolley’s here!” Al said bursting through the door.  Both Scorpius and Lily jumped and turned red, the music stopping as the headphone fell out of his ear with the sudden movement.

“Are you guys gonna get up and get anything? I’m starved.”

Lily got up and walked to the door.  “I’m right behind you” Scorpius replied hoping that his robes covered him sufficiently as he stood and readjusted himself.

 

Al joined them for the rest of the journey.  Rose, Hugo and the twins joined returned after Al’s untimely interruption and they all chatted inconsequentially.  The whole group eating Chocolate Frogs and Pumpkin Pasties from off the food trolley until the train pulled into Hogsmede.  Getting off the train they got into the horseless carriages. Scorpious knew they were pulled by Thestrals.  Father told him that when he went back to school for eighth year, over three quarters of the students could see them, rather than the usual handful.  He wasn’t sure whether he would have wanted to or not.  In the end he hadn’t been given a choice about being with his mother as she died.  Lily went with Hugo and the twins whilst Rose, Al and Scorpius rode in another carriage.  Scorpius tried his best to be enthusiastic whilst talking to the two Prefects about their new responsibilities and the pressures of their OWL year, but his thoughts kept wondering back to the music and Lily’s hand trailing up his thigh.  His distraction lasted through the Sorting and the feast.  He kept looking over to the Gryffindor table hoping to catch Lily’s eye, but she seemed deep in conversation with Hugo whenever he looked over.  Finally making his way down to the Dungeons and the common room he crawled into bed, put a silencing charm around the curtains of the four-poster bed, and relived the experience on the train in his head. 


	5. Ginny's secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry asks his friends how to fix his failing relationship.

The first two weeks after the kids had gone back to school were lonely ones for Harry.  Ginny was gone more and more, and Harry found the empty house oppressive.  He’d never noticed Ginny being absent this long whilst he was working, then again he was gone for long stretches of the day too, relying on Mrs Weasley to act as babysitter when they were both at work and the kids were home.  Sitting at home doing nothing did not suit him.  For the first few months he had the hospital and physio, followed by the summer and entertaining three teenagers and their host of friends.  Now there was nothing.  He needed a focus and he needed to fix his crumbling marriage.  He’d planned to talk to both Neville, and Ron and Hermione about Ginny, but hadn’t gotten around to either.  He also thought he might visit George in Diagon alley.  After his twin died, George had become morose and separated himself from his family, throwing himself into the joke shop he had started as a pair.  Harry had invested in the joke shop when it was still an idea in the twins’ head, and it had become a roaring success for them both during the war.  Harry remained a silent partner.  He wasn’t sure how much it brought into his account at Gringotts, but he had made his 1000 galleon investment back many times over through the years.  He enjoyed George’s company, and his wife Angelina’s.  She had been the one to pull George out of the blackness that surrounded him in those post war years.  Most people assumed that Harry had been fine after the war.  Those that knew better, Ginny, Ron and Hermione, all assumed it was one of the others that had pulled him up from the depression and drinking binges he’d used to escape his nightmares in that first year.  It had been none of them, but given no one asked or spoke about it, Harry had been able to keep his secret.  Harry hadn’t seen the George or Angelina all summer as they had taken a trip to Australia.  George was probably the best of the Weasleys to go to about his Ginny problem, and maybe he would be able to help him get out of the slump in the rest of his life too. Although Harry still had no idea what he wanted to do with his life, at least now he knew what to do with his day. With his mind made up that he wouldn’t spend another day sat around moping by himself, he fire called Ron and Hermione first.  It was a Saturday so neither of them were at work, and he found Hermione sat in the living room reading. 

“Hey guys, can I come through”

“Sure, you’re always welcome here Harry”

With that he moved all the way into the fire and stumbled out into the living room, bringing with him a fine trail of ash onto the carpet.

“Graceful as ever, mate” Ron mumbled, coming out of the kitchen with a bacon sandwich in his mouth.

“Don’t talk with your mouthful” Hermione chastised her husband whilst waving her wand, clearing the mess Harry had made.

“Do you want some breakfast Harry, Ron’s just demolishing a bacon sandwich but if you fancy something else it’ll be no bother.”

“A bacon sandwich sounds amazing Hermione”

“If your making more I could eat another, with mustard this time” Ron said having just finished the one he was eating as he entered the room.

Hermione left for the kitchen, and soon the enticing smell of bacon was wafting out of the open door.  Before long Hermione returned to the living room with a plate of sandwiches, thickly sliced white bread, filled with streaky bacon, ketchup and mustard.

“These look great” Harry said helping himself.

“So, is there any particular reason for this impromptu Saturday morning visit?” Hermione asked, quickly adding “not that you’re not always welcome here Harry”

“I’m bored mostly, with the kids gone and my no longer working, there isn’t much to do.” Trying to make it seem like a casual afterthought Harry added “Ginny and I, well we aren’t really getting along at the moment.  She’s never there and when she is all we do is argue.”

“Oh Harry, I’m sure this is just a rough patch” Hermione replied

“Yeah mate, you’ve been married for what, 20 years now, of course you‘re going to have the odd rough patch” added Ron.

“Ron’s right, you just need to talk to Ginny about how you’re feeling”

“It doesn’t feel like just a rough patch, we’ve had those before, mostly in the early days before the kids.  Right now, it feels like she’s avoiding me.  It was bad when the kids were around, and now they’re back at school I feel like I never see her.  She has barely been home in the last two weeks.  She says she’s just really busy at work with the Quidditch season starting up, but I never remember it being like this in the past”.

“Look, make a plan to take her out somewhere nice, spoil her a little.  Then sit and talk to her about how you’re feeling.  If you’re feeling this way she’s probably feeling the same.  You just need some time to work through all of the changes that have happened since you stopped working”. 

Hermione’s idea wasn’t a bad one, but somehow Harry didn’t think it was going to be that simple.  How was he supposed to arrange to do something special with just the two of them when Ginny was never there?

“I suppose I spent months not really giving her the attention she deserves, throwing myself into the rehab and the physio programme, and then expecting her to always be around now I’ve got time.  I’ll give it ago.  Maybe I’ll book a table at that new restaurant in Mould-on-the-Wold.  We both always did like the Cotswolds.”

They spent the next hour or so chatting about less difficult topics than Harry’s love life.  Talking about old times and friends, as well as the kids.  Harry had almost forgotten how much he enjoyed the company of his two best friends without the kids’ presence to occupy them.  He left just before lunch for Diagon Alley and his second Weasley of the day.

As he didn’t have the kids with him, he apparated straight into Diagon Alley, bypassing the usual entrance through the pub.  He remembered the days when he couldn’t walk down this street without being mobbed by reporters, and crowds of people wanting to thank him for his defeat of Voldemort.  Now he walked through the street easily and headed straight for George’s shop.  It was still the same garish shade of orange, with purple thrown in to clash for good measure.  Walking in Harry saw it was pretty busy, but then it was Saturday lunchtime.  He walked straight up to the register and asked the pretty youngish girl behind the counter if George was in.

“Mister Weasley is in the workshop out back, but he said he didn’t want interruptions.”

“I think he’ll make an exception for me.”

“I’m really not sure about this…” the girl stammered nervously as Harry started walking towards the backroom, she was clearly new to the job.

“Harry!” Georges voice rang out as he came out of the door Harry was walking towards.  “I thought I heard your voice through the din of the rabble.  Come on back.” then speaking to the girl “Terry, Harry here is my partner in this business and is a very _old_ friend”

“Hey, who are you calling old, I’m younger than you are!”

“Ahh, but you haven’t aged as gracefully as me.  Look at the grey hair and frown lines marring your once youthful good looks”. 

Harry laughed and followed George.  Rather than going into the back room that held the workshop, George took him upstairs to the flat he and his family lived in. 

“Angelina’s gone away for the weekend, so you’ll have to make do with just my company”

“I see the shop is still going strong”

“The miscreants at Hogwarts may have nothing on the exploits of you and I, but they still keep us in good business.  Never try and visit the shop in Hogsmeade when the kids are allowed into the village.  You can’t move in there for the sea of children.”

“Investing in this shop was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

“You’re right about that.  Although I’m not sure Mum would agree with you.”  Harry thought George had a point there.  Molly was never happy with the twins’ penchant for disaster and lack of commitment to school.  It was more than once Harry had heard her exclaim in frustration at the twins putting all their efforts into making things, and none into passing their exams.  Even she couldn’t argue with the success the twins, and then George by himself, had made of this place though.

“I’m guessing you’re not here to make small talk about the business Harry.”

“Umm, no, not really.”

“And you’re not just here to enjoy my excellent company? Tea?” George said waving his wand at the kettle, which instantly started to boil and pour two cups of tea.

“Tea would be great, and no I’m not just here for the pleasure of your company, although that is a bonus.  I wanted to talk about Ginny.”

“What has my dear sister done now?”

“It’s more… our marriage seems to be crumbling around us.  She’s never there, and when she is we either don’t say a word to each other, or we argue.  Something feels wrong, but I don’t know what; and I don’t really know how to fix it.  Hermione and Ron say I just need to sit down and talk to her, treat her to a night out, but I’ve got this nagging feeling that she’s hiding something from me.”

“Never trust my dear youngest brother for advice on women, how he’s kept Hermione sweet for all these years is beyond me.  Although that advice does sound like it comes more from Hermione’s lips than Ron’s and is therefore probably relatively sound”.  Throughout this speech George didn’t meet Harry’s eyes, it was if he knew something that he didn’t want to tell Harry. “Look, Ginny was round here the other day with Lee, and we talked.  I agree with Hermione that you two should talk.  The sooner the better.”

“How are we supposed to talk when I don’t know where she is?

“If I see her, I’ll tell her she needs to go home and sort this”.  George had said this in a way that implied that he knew where Ginny was, but then he was smiling again and offering Harry more tea.  Harry declined said his goodbyes and left.  He suddenly had to urge to be by himself for a while and think over his conversations of the morning.  He was also hungry.  It was after 2pm and the bacon sandwiches felt like a long time ago. 

Harry left Diagon Alley and went into muggle London.  Walking to Covent Garden he found a small crowded café on the lower level and he ordered a large Cappuccino and a slice of carrot cake.  Sitting at a table outside he watched the world go by.  Some muggles rushing through the streets, some casually strolling and looking in the shop windows.  There was also a string quartet playing with a crowd around them, and people looking over from the market above.  It was a good place to sit and clear his thoughts.  He still couldn’t quite interpret George’s slightly cryptic manner, but talking to Ginny seemed like the only plan he had.  Having finished his coffee and cake he paid and left to find a secluded street from which he could safely apparate away from.

He went to Mould-on-the-Wold first and managed to book a table for two for the next evening.  Then he went home, cleaned the house, and waited for Ginny to return.  He settled himself into the large, comfortable chair by the fireplace, propping his damaged leg up in front of him on the pouf, opened a book and prepared to wait until she came home.

Harry was woken by the sunlight coming through the curtains, he’d fallen asleep in the chair, book open on his lap.  Why hadn’t Ginny woken him when she got in?  He walked up to their bedroom to find her, only to discover the bed unslept in.  She’d not come home again.  How was he supposed to take her out and have a proper conversation if he couldn’t find her?  His frustration with the situation was growing.  He was sure George had known where she was and was going to tell her to come home, but maybe he was wrong.  He wasn’t going to wait around all day for her.  He left a note on the kitchen table asking her to be there at 6pm as he’d booked dinner for them at 8pm, and he wanted to talk to her.  Hopefully she’d pop home at some point and see it.  He hadn’t gotten around to seeing Neville the day before and decided, given Neville wasn’t going to be teaching today, he’d go up to Hogwarts and see him. 

Neville lived on the Hogwarts grounds in a cottage attached to the greenhouses.  The cottage had been built during the repairs after the war.  Deciding not to apparate such a long distance and not fancying walking across the Hogwarts grounds, filled with his children’s school mates he fire called the cottage.  Harry couldn’t see Neville with just his head poking through the fire.  Getting no reply on calling out he decided to step through the fireplace, assuming, correctly that Neville was in one of the greenhouses.  Harry found Neville in greenhouse two.  This greenhouse was full of plants found in both the magical and muggle world and was by far the safest of the 4 greenhouses Hogwarts now had.  Butterflies and other insects darted around between the sweet smelling plants and flowers.  This greenhouse had been a new addition after the war and was used in both muggle studies and herbology. 

“Neville, this place looks amazing!”

“Yes, it is growing rather well.  The kids seem to enjoy working here as much as with the magical plants.  I was thinking of trying to get permission to take a small group of the best muggle studies and herbology students on a field trip to the Eden Project as a post exam treat.”

“That sounds like a great plan Neville, although I don’t envy you supervising a bunch of teenagers out in the muggle world.  I took my brood and their friends out in muggle London for the day, it was exhausting.”

“But it will give them a great opportunity to see plants from different parts of the world, as well as some of the ways muggles have come up with to ensure the sustainability of their world.”

“I definitely agree, you should ask McGonagall about it and see whether it could be arranged”.  Neville went back to weeding and trimming his plants and Harry pondered how to bring up Neville’s divorce and his imploding marriage.  “So, you have anyone new in your life, I’ve haven’t seen you with anyone since you and Hannah…uhh”

“I’ve seen a few people since the divorce but nobody long term.  At the moment, I’m quite happy with my gardens and greenhouses here in the school grounds.  It doesn’t really leave much time for meeting people.  Why’d you ask?” Neville seemed a whole lot more relaxed than Harry was at this subject.

“Well me and Ginny… we seem to be going through a bit of a rough patch.  In fact, I don’t think I’ve said more than two words to her in the last week.”

“So are you after dating advice, or the name of a good divorce lawyer?”

Neville had become a little more cynical since his divorce.  “Well, I was more wondering whether you noticed anything in the months before that might have given you a clue as to Hannah being unhappy”

“Me and Hannah weren’t suited.  We jumped into a marriage straight after the war, just like many others; trying to get through the grief of losing so many people.  You might have also noticed Hannah was trying to hide something from not only the world, but also herself.  She thought that if she got married to a guy who she liked and was friends with, she would fall in love with him.  It didn’t work like that, and I believe she’s infinitely happier with Daphne than me.  And I have my plants, my pupils and the other teachers”

“So you’re saying it was never really right between the two of you.”

“Yes and no.  At the beginning, it was easy to ignore the problems, but after 15 years of being together we were just friends, not husband and wife.  When she met Daphne at a friend’s not long before that scathing article of Skeeter’s.  She found what she was missing with me and I’m happy for her now”

“So, there was nothing you could have done.”

“Not really, and we’re still good friend’s.  I often spend evenings in the holidays and at the weekends down at the Leaky Cauldron.  They seem determined to set me up with someone, and every time I go over theirs, there is some old acquaintance or colleague I just _have_ to meet”

“Well at least some good came out of your divorce, but it doesn’t really help with the whole Ginny situation I’ve got.”

“Not really, look, Ginny has been your friend for 30 years and your wife for nearing 20.  You know her best.”

“I guess” Harry said, with the sinking feeling that he didn’t seem to know Ginny at all right now.

“Come and have a walk round the grounds with me.  I’ve got a few gardens dotted around that are at their best at this time of year”

Neville had left him to his wonderings about after about an hour, stating he had a few plants growing right now that needed tending to every couple of hours in greenhouse four. Walking round the spectacular grounds of Hogwarts by himself, Harry’s thoughts drifted to his years here as a teenager.  Going down to Hagrid’s, watching the giant squid in the lake as it basked near the surface in the summer. Snape down in the dungeons, and batty old Trelawney up in the north tower, both of whom had inadvertently set his life on the course it had taken before he was even born.  His thoughts then started to drift to his final year at Hogwarts.  Where he and most of his year returned to the so called “8th year”.  There were the stolen kisses, arguments, abandoned class rooms and sneaking around behind their friend’s backs.  He couldn’t let his thoughts drift there.  That period of his life was done with, he had made his choice when he married Ginny. 

“Harry?” a voice interrupted his reminiscing.  Headmistress McGonagall was striding across the lawn from the castle “I thought it was you. What are you doing here?”

“I just popped in to see Neville and then got distracted enjoying the grounds.”

“You know we don’t usually let parents just come up and wonder Hogwarts whenever they feel like it, but I was actually thinking of paying you a visit soon so I’m glad you’re here.”

“What did you want to see me about, the kids are all ok aren’t they?”

“Yes, they are all doing brilliantly. What I wanted to talk to you about was the position of defence against the dark arts teacher. Professor Hildon is going to be retiring at the end of this year. I’ve always thought you would be perfect for the job, but you seemed happy with your career as an Auror.  But now, well… I thought you might be interested?”

Harry didn’t quite know what to say.  He’d enjoyed his time teaching the DA and running the training classes at the Auror academy, but he’d never thought of returning to Hogwarts to teach. 

“I’ll need to think about it Minerva, what with the kids being here and everything…and I’ll need to talk it over with Ginny.”

“Of course Harry, I didn’t expect an answer straight away.  If you can let me know by June so I have enough time to find someone else if you decide not to take the position.”

“Fine, I’d better be off now.  I have a dinner reservation this evening and need to get home and change.  Which Floo would be easiest for me to get back home?”

They’d walked up to the school entrance whilst talking.  McGonagall indicated that he’d be welcome to use the one in her office so he followed her up through the familiar passages.  Saying goodbye again in her office he stepped through into his house.  It was 5 o’clock, hopefully Ginny would be home soon, and they could talk before heading out for a nice meal.  He was feeling optimistic with the offer of a job on the cards and after his talk with Neville.  He jumped in the shower and quickly got dressed into clean clothes before sitting on the bed and continuing the book he’d fallen asleep with last night.

At quarter to six he heard Ginny come through the Floo.  He went to call out to her but stopped himself.  She was talking to someone.  Harry wasn’t sure if this person had come through entirely or not, but he could clearly hear their conversation.  The other person was a man, and the voice wasn’t unfamiliar, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on who it was.

“You need to tell him”

“I know, I know” Ginny almost wept.

“You heard what George said.  Harry knows something is wrong”

“Something has always been wrong between us”

“You don’t mean that”

“Don’t I?  I mean I love the kids and I don’t regret the life we’ve had together but other than those few months before the war there was never any passion.  I don’t know if it was the war or something else, but it’s felt like he married me because it was expected, not because he loved me for years”

“Do you want me to come through and do this with you”

“No, I need to do this myself.  Go on, he’ll be home soon, I’ll try and come back later”

At this point Harry couldn’t hold himself back any longer.  He’d crept quietly down the stairs during their discussion, now he opened the door to the living room and saw a head pop back out of the fire and Ginny turned shocked to look at him.

“You’re home!” Ginny said with surprise and a nervous edge to her voice.

“Yes…”

“God, how much did you hear?”

“Everything.  I guess I’ll cancel our dinner reservation then, or would you rather I keep it.  You can go with Lee?  That _was_ Lee in the fire wasn’t it?” Harry said coldly.  He could hardly look at his wife.

“Oh, Harry.  It wasn’t meant to happen this way.” Tears started to streak down her face.

“What way was it meant to happen then?” Still with ice in his voice.

“I don’t know, I know there isn’t an easy way to do this, but…well…”

“Spit it out.  How long have you and Lee been having an affair?  Months?  Years?  Is this even the first time you’ve been cheating on me?”

“It’s been a few months.  Harry, things haven’t been right between us for a long time, perhaps never.  I still love you, but over the last few months with Lee, I’ve realised the way I love you isn’t the way a wife should love her husband, it’s more like the way I love my brothers”

“Did Ron know too, as well as George?”

“No, just George.  Don’t blame him for not telling you, we begged him not to.  And we would have told you ourselves without his prompting soon anyway.  I’m pregnant.”

“You’re pregnant?  With his child?  Well you certainly wouldn’t have been able to hide that from me.”

“You’re angry, you have every right to be Harry.”

“You’re right I’m _angry_.  I’ve just found out my wife is pregnant with another man’s child!” Harry was all but shouting now.

“Please Harry, I’m sorry, this was never meant to happen!”

“Just get out.” Harry sighed, aggression leaving him and instead a black feeling he hadn’t felt for years taking over.  “I don’t want your apologies or excuses.  Just…get out.  We can sort out how we tell the kids and all the other details later, but right now I don’t want to look at you.”

With that, Ginny, with a hurt expression on her face, turned and left the room, the house and, as far as he was concerned at that moment, his life.  Harry went into the kitchen and grabbed down the bottle of whiskey that they’d kept for special occasions and opened it.  Tonight he needed to make everything disappear.  Getting _blind_ drunk seemed the easiest way to do that right now.


	6. After the Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's drunk and Draco enjoys a flashback

Draco was sat up late working in his study.  He was contemplating a night cap before bed when a crash startled him.  It was only him and the house elves at home, and none of them would be crashing around in the living room at 1 in the morning.  Draco headed down the corridor towards the room he’d heard the crash come from.  Opening the door, he was confronted with the last person he expected to be sprawled on the floor in the Manor.  Potter was obviously drunk.  There was a three quarters empty whiskey bottle one of his hands.  His thought flew to the last time a drunk Harry Potter made his way to the Manor uninvited.  He tried to shake of the feeling of déjà vu as he approached the man sprawled on the hearth rug. 

“Malfoy, she’s left me” Potter slurred.

“And that is why you felt the need to turn up on my living room floor hammered”

“I did it all wrong.  It should have never been her.  It was never her. It was always...” Malfoy stopped him at that point.  On no condition should Potter be allowed to speak those words out loud. 

“Don’t say it Potter, you’re drunk.  You should go home to bed before you do or say anything you regret”

“I can’t go home.  I can’t face seeing that place right now.”

“But why here, don’t you have friends you could have gone to”

“It wasn’t them I wanted to see”

The remark was harder on Draco than he thought.  He’d pushed aside all thoughts of this man for over 20 years.  They had each made their decisions at the time.  He didn’t know what to do, yet he couldn’t let Harry Potter leave by himself in this state.  He also didn’t fancy contacting any of Potter’s friends to come and collect him.

“Fine you can sleep this off in one of the guest rooms.  Can you get up?”

Potter managed to stand but the coordination needed for walking seemed beyond him.  Malfoy braced himself and put an arm around him and half carried, half dragged him to the closest guest room.  He put Potter into the bed.  Before he could let go of the man, Harry had managed to pull Draco towards him. They were so close.  Draco’s hand strayed to Harry’s face and their eyes met.  Draco had to force himself to pull away from that gaze. 

“Thank you, Draco” Harry said sleepily, and still fully dressed he curled up and closed his eyes. Draco gently took off Harry’s glasses and placed them on the bedside table, his fingers lingering slightly on Harry’s cheek, then he turned and left the room.

Why here? Why now? Why him? Thoughts swirled through Malfoys brain as he made his way to his own suite.  He needed a drink, yet didn’t think it was a sensible idea at that moment.  He had to restrain himself.  Potter’s drunk, and upset.  He repeated in his head over and over like a mantra.  Lying down on the bed, he closed his eyes and tried to settle his thoughts enough to sleep.  Malfoy felt himself start to drift off, his thoughts were still filled with the past and the last time a drunk Harry Potter had landed on his doorstep. 

_Wednesday 5 th August 1998_

_Draco walked out of the trial in shock. Somehow, against the odds he was free, and it was all down to Potter.  He hadn’t expected it, but Potter had spoken in his defence.  He would be able to attend Hogwarts in September and complete his NEWTs.  He’d have his life back.  He made his way back to the Manor in a daze, not quite sure what to do with himself.  Sure, his father had gotten a life sentence in Azkababan, and although his mother has also been granted a pardon, she had decided to disappear to Switzerland in order to start a fresh.  Draco was determined to renew respect for the Malfoy name, and had made the decision to stay in England and to return to the Manor.   Walking in through the front door he saw the devastation left by the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters that had based themselves in his home during the War.  There was also the aftermath of the Auror raids on his ancestral home in the weeks following the Dark Lords defeat.  He looked down at the ugly mark on his arm and shuddered.  He called a house elf and quickly had a strong drink in his hand.  He couldn’t work out why Potter had testified for him.  Yes, he had risked his life in failing to expose Potter to Bellatrix when he was in the Manor, but he still didn’t feel it undid all of the evil he had been forced to do whilst under the Dark Lords control. He remembered the feeling of safety when Potter had grabbed him out of the flames in the room of requirement, his arms tight around the other boy’s waist.  He heard again Crabbe’s screams as he was left behind and consumed by the fire. He went to his mother’s morning room, one of the only rooms untainted by memories of the Dark Lord’s torturous reign, and took the bottle with him._

_Harry’s friends didn’t understand why he spoke in defence of both Draco and Narcissa Malfoy.  They hadn’t seen the mother’s longing in the forest to see her son again. That longing had saved his life.  They also hadn’t felt the tight grip of Malfoy’s hands around his waist on the broom.  That tight grip continued as he pulled the boy out of the flames conjured by his friend and out of control.  He felt the other boys fear and hope in that grip.  It also wasn’t lost on him that it was Malfoy’s wand that had defeated Voldemort.  He still had the wand on him.  He didn’t need it, yet it felt like safety and he didn’t want to let it go.  Harry abandoned his friends that evening.  He couldn’t stand their harsh words towards the boy he had saved.  He went to a muggle pub near little Whinging, where he had grown up, and lived through the repression and abuse that had been his foremost years. He sat in the pub alone and drank steadily, thinking about the wand that wasn’t his._

_The bell rang at the Manor, and promptly a house elf popped into the room in front of Draco announcing his guest.  If Draco was surprised at having a guest, his surprise turned to astonishment when the house elf announced that Harry Potter was stood at the end of the drive waiting admittance.  Curious as to what this boy, who had been his rival for years yet had saved both his life, and his liberty in the last few months was doing at his door, he told the house elf to show him up. Draco composed himself and waited for his unexpected guest, half expecting the other boy to curse him the second he walked through the door.  As far as Draco was concerned, it would be no less than he deserved.  The door opened and in walked the boy with green eyes and untidy black hair, looking a little worse for wear.  He had obviously been hitting the drink even harder than Draco himself had._

_“I’ve bought your wand back” Potter said._

_“You’ve…uuuhhh…what?” Draco stuttered_

_“I’ve bought your wand back.  I’ve had it since that night here.  I thought, maybe, you should have it back” holding his hand out with the wand outstretched and facing towards himself._

_Draco took the wand out of his hand and felt the warm rush of magic.  He had missed this.  Suddenly he was sure part of his desolation in the last few weeks was due to missing this feeling._

_“Thank you…Harry”.  It felt awkward saying the other boys name.  Throughout school he had always been Potter, said with a sneer and derision.  Now he was Harry, not only saviour of the whole wizarding world, but the boy who had saved Draco personally, and had now returned his magic to him. “Do you want to stay for a drink, I’ve got a good Scotch here”_

_“Sure” Harry said and sat down at the other end of the sofa to the one Draco had been occupying._

_They drank their drinks in silence at first.  Draco couldn’t work out what had brought this boy to his doorstep, bringing back the last part of himself that had been broken by the oppression of his Father, of the Dark Lord, and of the heinous acts he had been forced to do in the Dark Lord’s name._

_Harry wasn’t sure what had prompted him to return Malfoy’s wand.  He just felt it was the right thing to do.  He remembered the pain and separation when his own wand was broken and lost to him.  It wasn’t until he held Malfoy’s wand in his hand that he felt anywhere near complete after the incident at Godric’s Hollow._

_He accepted a drink off Malfoy when he offered, partly in shock at Malfoy’s use of his first name, partly because he couldn’t bring himself to leave just yet.  Something that felt like electricity was sparking between him and Malfoy on that sofa, and he wasn’t ready for it to stop._

_“So, what are your plans?” Harry started the conversation lamely._

_“I want to go back to Hogwarts in September.  Finish my NEWTs. I guess none of us really had a proper school year last year.”_

_“No, although I’m not sure I remember having a school year that wasn’t interrupted by disaster”_

_“Yeah, I think you’re right about that.”_

_The two of them turned back to their drinks._

_“Are you going back to Hogwarts this year too” Malfoy said to Harry._

_“I think so.  Hermione would probably try and finish what Voldemort failed to do if I didn’t”.  Harry saw Malfoy visibly wince when he said the name. “I’m not sure I could have done what you did?” Harry said._

_“What do you mean?” Malfoy looked decidedly curious about the question._

_“Live under the same roof as him, I saw him torture, and some of his followers were almost as bad as he was.  I couldn’t have done it and not lose my mind.  You were as much a part of finishing him as I was in the end.  It was your courage that stopped you from turning me and my friends over, it was your wand that struck the final blow”.  Harry was very drunk at this point and could feel his tongue tripping over the words as they fell out of his mouth._

_The two of them had moved closer to each other slightly on the sofa, yet neither seemed to have noticed._

_“I don’t get why you saved me.  In the room, with the fire.  Crabbe’s screams accompanied by the heat and smell of that fire still fill my nightmares, yet you came back.  You pulled me from certain death.  Somehow, with my arms wrapped around you, flying out of that room of death I’ve never felt safer.” As Malfoy said this he turned towards Harry and they were only inches apart._

_Draco could feel Harry’s warm breath as he turned to face his old enemy.  He had rushed out one of his darkest secret to this boy who had been his rival.  All he wanted to do in that moment was to reach his hand out and touch the other boys face.  He didn’t get the chance.  Harry’s hand reached towards his cheek instead, lightly catching a tear Draco hadn’t noticed fall with his finger.  They were so close in that moment, and Draco wasn’t sure who leant in first, but suddenly they were kissing.  All of the pain and fear of the last year fell away from him, and he was kissing this boy who had been the focus of his attention since he was eleven years old.  His hand reached up and ran through the untidy black hair.  Harry’s hand was around his waist pulling him closer.  Their mouths separated, and he was staring into those green eyes and breathing heavily.  Harry’s breaths matched his and his hand never left Draco’s waist.  This couldn’t be happening, but it was.  Draco moved his hand to Harry’s face and gently removed his glasses.  Suddenly, with more force, Harry was pushing him back against the large sofa.  One hand moving up Draco’s side and under his shirt, the other fumbling with the button and zip of his trousers._

_“God, I’ve wanted to do this for so long” Harry sighed into his mouth as he finally got the button holding his trousers together to undo._

_“I never…I never knew.” Draco lamely replied and then pushed his mouth back towards Harry’s they were kissing again._

_Harry didn’t know what possessed him to finally bring his hand up to Draco’s face.  Something about the tear falling down that cheek left Harry unable to do anything else other than put his finger up to catch it.  Suddenly they were kissing and it was like coming home.  Like this was how it was always meant to be between the two of them.  All the years of pain, torment and cruelty were forgotten for that instant, and Harry was kissing Draco as if they were the only two people who had ever existed.  Taking a breath his eyes met the silver-grey ones.  He pushed Draco back, his hand under the shirt that separated them sending shivers through his body as it met the bare skin of Draco’s chest.  His other hand was fumbling with Draco’s trousers, feeling the increasing hardness underneath, even as his own trousers tightened.  He said something at that point but to his mind everything other than the feel of Draco underneath him was incoherent to his brain.  This boy he had been obsessed with since they were eleven years old was suddenly his._

_Without stopping kissing for longer than necessary the two men got up and moved from the morning room.  Draco led Harry through the corridors of the Manor to his bedroom.  The four-poster bed was dark mahogany with silver and blue bed sheets.  The room was filled with memories of Draco’s childhood, yet neither of them noticed their surroundings at that moment.  Neither could see further than each other.  Draco sat leaning back on the bed, his shirt buttons undone entirely and the zip on his trousers just about holding them up without the button to keep them closed. Draco watched as Harry lifted the t-shirt he was wearing over his head and moved towards him.  Harry remaining very much in control pushed the shirt from Draco’s shoulders, and finished the job of undoing his trousers, that he’d started earlier in the morning room.  Draco was tall and lean, thin white scars marred his chest, although they were only noticeable up close, next to the natural pallor of his skin.  It was the Dark Mark on his left forearm that stained the beauty that was Draco Malfoy.  Yet Harry noticed none of these imperfections.  Harry’s body was coarser, more muscled and more noticeably scared than Draco’s.  The last years hardships could be read in the marks across his skin.  Draco ran his hand around a scar covering Harry’s heart.  It was a red round burn mark, not long healed.  He moved his lips to it and kissed Harry’s chest.  Rolling Harry under him Draco moved downwards, leaving a trail of kisses down his abdomen to the waist of his trousers.  His eyes not leaving Harry’s, Draco slowly undid the button and zip holding up the other man’s trousers and gently pulled them down, the trail of kisses continuing down the inside of Harry’s thigh.  Harry was lying there on the bed wearing only his boxers.  Draco moved back up to his face, kissing his jawline before moving back to his mouth.  They were pressed close together with only the thin layers of fabric of both their boxers between them.  Both Harry and Draco could feel the tension rising.  Stopping kissing to catch their breath they looked at each other again.  Harrys hands were digging into Draco’s hips, whilst Draco’s cupped Harry’s face. This time it was Harry’s turn to roll Draco round and under him.  He started moving his hands down the other man’s thighs and moved kisses down his chest. He reached below Draco’s navel, tentatively he moved lower, as Draco had done before.  His fingers curled under the top of the elastic and Draco lifted his hips, allowing Harry to remove the underwear completely.  He moved his kisses lower, and getting up his nerve gently took the other man in his mouth.  He was gratified with a low moan, and started moving up and down, using his tongue to slowly move around the tip.  Draco’s hands clenched the sheets and Harry increased his speed._

_“Harry…I’m not going to …last…much…” the sentence was cut off with another cry and bitter tasting fluid shot into Harry’s mouth._

_Draco lay back panting and Harry moved back up the bed.  Taking himself in his hand he continued the building tension.  Draco moved as soon as he noticed and took over the work Harry’s hand was doing, pressing Harry’s mouth back to his.  Harry hadn’t felt anything quite like this before.  Tension building in the other man’s hand, and suddenly releasing.  The sticky fluid landed on Draco’s stomach, but neither cared. They lay back not saying a word.  A few minutes passed and Draco cast a quick cleaning spell on the two of them and the sheets.  Then pulling Harry into him, they both drifted off to sleep._


	7. The Morning After

Harry woke up, head pounding.  Fumbling for his glasses he put them on looking around at the unfamiliar room.  The last thing he remembered was the fight with Ginny, the affair, the pregnancy, then hitting the drink hard. It had been years since he’d resorted to drinking like that, but how that had led to lying in an unfamiliar bed he had no idea.  At least he seemed to be by himself, and the bed showed no sign of any other occupant.  He was also still wearing the clothes he’d gotten ready to go out in the night before, another good sign.  A wave of nausea passed through him as he stood up.  Exiting the room, he found himself in a richly decorated corridor, with portraits lining the cream and dark green walls.  Though the room had been unfamiliar he couldn’t say the same about this corridor.  A sinking feeling came over Harry as he realised where he had ended up.  How could he have let this happen?   It was during the Christmas of his 8th year at Hogwarts when he had learnt the corridors of this house.  The two of them had hidden away here for those two weeks.  Escaping pressures of Hogwarts, the press and their friends.  That time in his life was long over.  It had been over 20 years since he had stepped foot in the Manor.  Right now, he needed to get out; before he had to face Malfoy.  Harry worked his way through the winding passages.  Stepping outside he saw it was barely dawn.  He can’t have slept for more than 3 hours.  No wonder he felt terrible.  Walking across the lawn, Harry thought to himself how glad he was to have managed to make his escape.  He didn’t notice Draco stood at the window as he stepped out of the Manor gates, and apparated out of the place that held the secrets from before his marriage. 

Landing on his front lawn Harry promptly vomited.  Apparating in this state was not a good idea, and his stomach had protested and won.  He wasn’t sure what he wanted more, his bed or a shower.  What Harry didn’t want was having to explain last night’s events to his two best friends who were currently walking towards him across his lawn.

“Oh Harry, you look terrible”

“I feel terrible Hermione, but thanks for the reminder.   What are you doing here at this time?”

“Ginny came round last night in tears.” Ron answered tersely.

“So she told you?”

“She said that you had a fight and told her to leave” Ron replied.

“She didn’t mention the affair with Lee Jordan or the fact that she’s pregnant with his child then?”

“Oh Harry!” Hermione looked shocked.  “No, she didn’t mention that.  She spent a few hours with us, in tears.  She left ours at about 1am, saying she was going to stay with a friend.”

“Yes, her _friend_ Lee.  I don’t want to talk about it.  I feel like crap right now, and just want to take a hangover potion, shower and try and get a few more hours sleep.”

Harry knew he was being rude.  He could see it in the looks on both of their faces. In fact, he was surprised Ron hadn’t lashed out yet, but he was not going to talk about Ginny now.  He was hungover, and if questions about where he was last night came up, he wasn’t sure how he was going to answer without his friends getting suspicious. 

“Ok, come to ours for dinner this evening. We can go over everything then.” Hermione said determinately, and Harry knew she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Fine, but leave me in peace now, please”

Ron and Hermione walked to the end of the lawn, past the wards preventing them apparating and with a crack disappeared.  Harry stumbled in towards the house and straight into the downstairs bathroom where he promptly threw up again.  Rinsing his mouth out at the sink he rummaged through the medicine cabinet and found a hangover potion.  Swallowing the bitter liquid, he managed to keep it down.  Harry had just made it up the stairs when he heard someone come through the Floo.  Merlin, who was it now?  He wanted to be left in peace with his hangover.  The potion was just starting to work but he still had a night’s sleep to catch up on.  Then he heard Ginny’s familiar voice calling from the living room.  Harry turned around and stumbled down the stairs to face his wife. 

“Harry, I’m so sorry”

“Ginny, I don’t want to hear it, and right now I don’t really want to see you”

“But we need to talk about this”

“What’s there to talk about, you’re pregnant with another man’s child.  It’s over between us.  This isn’t fixable, and even if it was, I don’t want to try.”

“I know I made a huge mistake, but do you really want to throw away the years we’ve had together”

“Yes, I can’t trust you, and besides you are having his baby, and what does he think about you coming over here this morning begging for me to let you back.”

“It doesn’t have to be Lee’s, and he doesn’t know I’m here”

“Well I don’t think anyone is going to believe it’s mine.  Look, just go be with him.  What you said yesterday was sincere than this. This is just you panicking about what people are going to say when they hear you cheated.  I’ll go and tell the kids at the end of the week, then we can announce to the world that we’re getting a divorce”

“No, you can’t tell the kids while they’re at school” Ginny insisted.

“Well it’s either that or they hear it from the papers”

“Can’t we keep it quiet, till they come home at Christmas”

“Look I don’t want to talk about this right now.  Go away”

“So, does that mean we can keep everything hushed up till they’re all home”

“Fine, as long as the papers don’t catch wind of this, then we can wait till Christmas.  I’m going to my lawyer tomorrow though. I want this divorce over and done with.  Now go, if you want to pick up your things do it this evening.  I’m going to see Ron and Hermione for dinner, so I’ll be out for a few hours.”

Harry didn’t wait for a reply before storming back upstairs.  All he could think about right now was crawling into his bed and sleeping this nightmare away.  Given Ginny didn’t try and follow him, Harry assumed she had left.  Collapsing on top of the duvet still dressed, Harry quickly fell asleep.

The dinner with Hermione and Ron had gone about as well as expected.  They had both spent the entire meal interrogating him about what had gone wrong with his relationship, what he could do to fix it, and wondering where he was last night.  Harry had spent most of his time dodging that last topic in particular. Eventually they seemed to accept his answers, although, like him, they weren’t sure about Ginny’s wait till Christmas plan.  When he finally was allowed to escape home, he found Ginny had been and gone.  Her clothes and some of the books had disappeared, but Harry couldn’t bring himself to care about any of it.  Lighting a fire, he sat in his chair and found the book he had been reading before this whole nightmare with Ginny had come to light.  Thinking he was finally going to get the peace and quiet he was craving, he felt like swearing when the fire flashed green, announcing that someone was coming through, and Draco Malfoy appeared in front of him. 

“Why are you here?” Harry couldn’t keep the exasperation out of his voice.

“Coming to make sure you’re ok.  You were quite a mess when you turned up at the Manor last night and didn’t look much better when you ran out of there this morning.  I’m surprised you managed not to splinch yourself apparating in that state.”

“Well, I’m as fine as expected to be after finding out my marriage is a sham”

“I should probably leave then”

“Wait! Did I do anything last night I shouldn’t have?”

“Well apart from turning up in my house unable to stand up straight”

“Apart from that?” Harry felt ashamed.

“No, you pretty much showed up, and I took you to one of the spare rooms to sleep it off.  Like I said, you could barely stand”

“Thanks for, you know, helping. I had a bit of a rough day yesterday”

“I couldn’t tell”.  Malfoy’s sarcasm hadn’t changed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really, I’ve spent all evening talking about it.  All I want to do now is sit and read and forget about this whole thing”

“If that’s all…” Malfoy’s voice trailed off and Harry made the mistake of looking up at Malfoy and catching his eyes, preventing Harry from being able to bring himself to say the ‘goodbye’ of dismissal he’d been about to.

“That bitch never deserved you.” There was venom in Malfoy’s voice.

“It wouldn’t have worked between us any better though, would it.” Harry said, approaching the forbidden subject. 

“I guess not, we would have been hounded, and your friends hated me, still hate me as far as I’m aware” Malfoy sighed. “Did you tell them where you ended up last night?”

“No, I doubt they would have understood.”

“I guess not. Unless they knew about what happened back then, I don’t imagine they would have gotten why you decided to turn up on my doorstep, of all peoples, when your marriage fell apart”

“Yours was the only place I could think of being.”

The two men were slowly edging closer to each other.  Harry could feel all the tension that had always existed between the two of them build.  If one of them didn’t step away soon he knew he would do something very stupid, but somehow couldn’t move further away from the tall thin man who had once been his. 

“Draco…” Harry whispered.

“Don’t Harry…”

“Don’t what?  Use your name, you just used mine.”

“We shouldn’t.  This was all over.”

“That fight happened 20 years ago, and right now I can’t seem to see why it was so important.”

They were all but touching.

It was Draco that moved first, and rather than towards Harry he moved away, trying to turn back to the fire and escape.  Harry reached and grabbed Draco’s wrist, unable to let the other man leave.

“This is a mistake” Draco sighed before moving again, this time towards Harry and pulling him into a kiss filled with the 20 lost years of tension.


End file.
